Communication
ChemComm
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with which this occurs is inversely proportional to the energy
gap between the T1 state and the higher singlet state. The
observation of a lower DE(S1 ꢁ T1) in the dinuclear complexes
may thus be indicative of more efficient SOC pathways.
In summary, we have presented a new family of cyclometallating
bis(N4C4N)-coordinating ligands and their application in the
synthesis of dinuclear Ir(III) complexes. The synthetic methodology,
centred around cross-couplings of synthon 4, allows facile variation
of the bridging unit within the ligands, and provides access to a
variety of possible structures. In comparison to classical coordina-
tion complexes of polypyridines, cyclometallating ligands offer both
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yields and emission lifetimes o1 ms render these materials strong
candidates for consideration as OLED dopants. Moreover, the
strong absorption in the orange-to-red region is a highly desirable
attribute for sensitisers in both dye-sensitised solar cells and in
photocatalysed water splitting, where iridium(III) complexes are
attracting more and more attention.19 Thus, the structural and
emissive properties of this new class of complexes are of interest for
exploitation in metallo-supramolecular chemistry and the design of
new functional materials.
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We thank EPSRC (grant ref. EP/I014942/1) for support of this
work, and Diamond Light Source for access to synchrotron
single-crystal diffraction beamline I19. Mass spectra were
acquired at the EPSRC UK National Mass Spectrometry Facility
at Swansea University.
Notes and references
‡ Data were collected at beamline I19 of Diamond Light Source
(l = 0.6889 Å). Structure solution and refinement20 included modelling
of disorder for 3 of the 4 hexyl chains, inclusion of ordered solvent
molecules in both structures with the aid of restraints, and SQUEEZE
treatment21 of additional disordered solvent in the meso structure.
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6834 | Chem. Commun., 2014, 50, 6831--6834
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